Trends

Trends are mysterious things. Some stay for years and others are just a swift shimmer that leave as fast as they enter the scene. Still others shift and evolve with the times. Design is both the driving force and the result of this cycle of trends—with packaging design creating personal experiences (like the unboxing experience)…

What logo and branding trends are going to define 2017? Today, we’re gazing into the future at nine popular logo trends. From simplification to unique typography to animation, these are what we’re predicting will be hot in the new year. 1. Broken letters — Stencils? Spray paint? Not quite. In 2017 we can expect designers to be taking broken…

In a time when audiences were racing in droves to catch the latest talkie and hand-drawn animation was just finding its legs, a new medium brought kids (and adults, let’s be honest) back to reading. Comic books began as a dime-store novelty, and since then, they have gone through countless transformations, artistic explorations, public excises,…

The vintage design revolution is upon us! And it’s influencing everything from fashion to art to architectural design. With pop-goes-vintage music groups like Postmodern Jukebox and historical dramas like Downton Abbey engaging audiences worldwide, the Roaring 20s are making a big comeback. Of course, Art Deco is following suit. Art Deco is a style of…

It’s design vocabulary time! We know you’ve heard these two terms floating around: skeuomorphism and flat design. What do they mean? They’re two contemporary designs trends that each have their own unique style and set of traits. Skeuomorphism creates a sense of familiarity by emulating materials, while flat design stays true to its medium, often feeling minimal and utilitarian. These…

Illustration dates back long before the invention of writing. We are talking cave painting—Lascaux and Altamira to be precise. With at least 40,000 years of history, it seems clear that human beings (irrespective of culture or background) have a deep and abiding connection with the illustrated image. While writing was often a tool for the elite, for…

There’s no denying it… Bright, bold colors have been a huge trend this year—not only a 2016 web design trend, but across all mediums. This color palette is popular with good reason; when bright color pops in design, it can conjure excitement, joy and intrigue. For that reason, it’s a great skill to master as a designer. There are many different ways…

Museums have collected design objects for ages. The V&A in London was founded in 1852; the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) established its design department 80 years after that. For a long time they chugged along, building collections of furniture and tableware, posters and other works of graphic design on paper, consumer goods and the like. But the advent…

We recently explored the fascinating history of digital fonts—a key narrative in the story of how graphic design played into the 20th century’s digital revolution. Now let’s take a step back from the actual technology and look at tech branding itself. How did the biggest tech giants of the last 100 years choose to present themselves to customers? Which…